About 2 years ago I was talked into having a spinal cord stimulator implanted to help control the "stings" I experience as a result of CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - aka RSD). The dr. actually said, "if you do this, it will be like we're joined at the hip." It was great until I weaned off of narcotics, which was my choice. I really think they would have given me morphine and vicodin forever. After a year, I needed to get my head back so I started weening. Didn't have to cut back much to discover that my body was reacting to the stimulator leads, wires, and battery. It's an indescribable pain that never completely goes away. I now take prednisone and tramadol to desensitize. The doctor that did the surgery shouldn't have. He should have actually read my chart! I have been diagnosed with many auto-immune diseases in my lifetime which makes it likely that my body will reject an implant. I was never a candidate, so I guess I slipped through the cracks. Now I need to get the stimulator removed - all of it! That's where things get quite complicated. Even IF I trusted the doctor that put it in - I certainly don't trust him to remove 8" of titanium from my spine! Delicate situation. No doctor wants to touch me : ( By the way, both the surgeon/pain doc & Medtronic have abandoned me since the REJECTION was identified. If anyone out there has anything like this going on, it would be great to communicate. I simply can't believe that I'm the only one that this has happened to.

I would immediatly call your insurance company and tell them what is going on and if you have to get an attorney
Try again to get them to help as much as you can.
Maybe the help of your insurance can help, I read here where someone did exactly that and was treated royaly afterwards. Not your fault they cant take the time to read, or did not believe your charts or $$ was a bigger factor. Sometimes....

If your body is rejecting the implant it is hard to understand why this doc wont take it out it would lead me to believe he is setting himself up for a huge lawsuit knowing that your body is allergic to the materials...Just unreal...keep at it, someone will help you. Act sooner rather than later, hopefully they can take it out quickly

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